Evolving Expectations of Colonization

What struck me most while I was reading Envisioning America, especially in “Inducements to the Liking of the Voyage Intended towards Virginia in 40. and 42. Degrees” written by Richard Hakluyt in 1585, was how the expectations for the New Wold seemed to evolve from earlier ones seen in Sources and Databases in 4.1, “What commodities would ensure, this passage once discovered” written by Sir Humphrey Gilbert in 1578. In the earlier source by Gilbert, the new world is portrayed as a productive place to send criminals and poor people. He suggests that they “inhabit some part of those countries [colonized lands] and settle there such needy people of our country which now trouble the commonwealth” (p.79). However in the later source, Hakluyt lists skilled workers who should be sent to the colonies. He lists all manner of skilled men who should go on the voyage such as fishermen, salt-makers, husbandmen, gardeners, and countless others. The transition of the colonies from a dumping ground for people who used the resources of the common wealth into an opportunity for skilled labor is singled by the differences in these two documents. The change also suggests a more informed and practical view of the colonies, and the reality that civilization as the English thought of it would need to be constructed and skilled labor was necessary in order to do that.

Another key difference between the earlier and later source is that the later source in Envisioning America seems to specify what the earlier source in Sources and Databases referenced more generally. In the earlier source Gilbert suggests that a benefit of colonization would be finding resources that England usually imported, ending England’s dependence on countries like France or Spain for trade (79). While Hakluyt specifically names the commodities that the English hoped to find in order to accomplish the goal of becoming independent in terms of resources and trade. He mentions in great detail “our Vines, our Olives, our Figge trees, our Sugar-canes, our Orenges and Limons, Corne, Cattell” (p.42). These commodities, while unlikely to actually be in Virginia, reveal a more detailed picture of what the English hoped to gain from colonization and how ideas attached to the colonies evolved in the time between 1578 and 1585.

3 thoughts on “Evolving Expectations of Colonization

  1. I wanted to add to your comment Kevin. I think it’s very interesting how the English wanted a change from the criminals to the skilled laborers. The English could have never expected what civilization would have been like there. So when they sent the criminals over as almost an experimentation plan, there must have been some sort of stigma about the New World. Why would skilled laborers, who have worked hard to set up their business, want to travel all the way to the new world when the only people that inhabited the land were criminals and natives? Well, obviously the answer to that question might be that there is a chance of opportunity. However, the English care a lot about reputation, order, and class. So what prompted all these skilled laborers to leave, especially a stigma attached to the New World? Was there even a stigma? I really want to read more about this topic because it is so interesting how English managed to expand their empire not only utilizing the natives, but their own people. Someone had to make the jump to these uncharted territories…

  2. I thought it was very interesting to read the first hand accounts of settlers making the trip over from England as well. Being in that situation had to have been a great thrill for most people. Reading the accounts of settlers coming over is very interesting as most of them would land in the Northern area, and expected to be growing Lemons and Limes. These first settlers really paved the way for the rest of colonization. I also found it interesting that settlers felt that their number one goal was planting Christian religion….or at least so they said.

  3. I also think the whole subject of colonization is very interesting. While America would be a useful place to send criminals, this view of America as a dumping ground for undesirables in English society was before they realized the benefits they could reap from the land there. After they found all the resources, it had much more potential to them than just a dumping ground for criminals. It was obvious that skilled labor would be necessary, but it must have been a problem to get a large amount of skilled laborers to the new world, considering that most of the skilled laborers in England probably already had successful businesses and families which they had no reason to leave, especially in an enterprise as dangerous as crossing the Atlantic and setting up a colony in an unfamiliar land. I also thought Hakluyt’s description of the potential products from the new world amusing, and I feel that he knew he was stretching the truth a bit, but was saying these things in order to get people more interested in the idea of colonizing America, especially at a time when they were looking for skilled laborers and people who could help colonize.

Leave a Reply